Art & Inspiration Listen to the Motor or the Music?

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

Listen to the Motor or the Music?

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Good lourd a dilemma from the Jive-Bomber. LOL

I seldom own a vehicle with a decent radio let alone a stereo. But that is because I am a cheap bastard, well that and I have discovered that in something that will actually shake rattle and roll that is the tunes are good I am not being a responsible citizen.

When I do drive a vehicle with a decent stereo like say the wife's truck it is a matter of if I am alone or we are together, when we are together we seldom run the stereo. I think it is an age thing when we were young we always had tunes going on. Now when I am alone in the truck I have the damned thing cranked to ear drum tearing levels.

I think that you could drop the coin on a good system or even a mediocre system and play it when you want and not play it when you don't want. best of both worlds.

 

First I admit I'm old. Having said that when I do road trips to visit Grandkids or friends I drive a Silverado High Country with all options and it is comfortable and the Sirius radio is entertaining.
When I drive my Hot Rods I neither want or need a radio. The sounds and vibrations coming from all directions are all the entertainment I need. Every sensory input means something and brings back a lot of memories. The choice is yours but remember, you can always turn the radio off but only if you have one.

 

I have one in my buick and I love it. Nothing like cruising down a country back road with some good music playing. If I want to enjoy the road and engine noise I just shut it off. The player and speakers are hidden when you look in the car.

 

I had my stock radio converted to AM/FM 12 volt with aux input....

 

It's usually the passengers that enjoy the music over the exhaust, but for me ... either one is fine.

 

I added a hidden system in my '56 Olds that I can just plug my iPhone into.
The car had front and rear speakers already, so I just updated them to new Pioneers and really the only telltale is the cable on the front bench seat.
If I wanted to, I could just roll up that cable under the seat and nobody would know.

Recently I've noticed I don't listen to music on my short commute to work, but when I'm on a longer trip on the weekend, I really enjoy the tunes!

Now my '36 truck on the other hand, no question about it!

BTW, does anybody know where I can get one of those sweet under dash 7" players?

 

In my T-Bucket a radio would be useless against "stereo" side exhaust. May be cool for car shows, cruises etc. Damn may have to rethink that.

 

I don't have tunes in my coupe.

But the '57 wagon I have an amp and some old speakers for my iPod. The girls love listening to Surfin Safari by the Beach Boys....

 

Put in the tunes, music is the soul of life. What got us into this fun? Music. How can you have a wagon that cannot blast out the Beach Boys? Most of us can sing along with all the music from American Graffity?
I love the rumble of the headers and glass packs in the 40 but on a multi day trip it is nice to have another 'noise' to break up the drive, Austin TX - 24 hours on the road, Bonneville - 14 hours on the road. And after 35 years of marrage, sometime there is quiet time while driving.

 

My DD '13 Fusion has a full system with Sirius, and I really enjoy it when I'm alone on a long trip or just going to the grocery store, don't play it when someone is riding with me that can carry on an intelligent conversation about any subject in which I have interest. Same goes for my '03 Silverado.
I bought BGII as a mocked up rolling chassis, and that included a hole cut in the modified '35 Ford dash to fit a solid state 12V am/fm stereo rig that is much like the one Rodster shows, except mine has a round dial from a '55 Ford.
I put the thing in to fill up the hole, but I wish I had just filled up the hole before I finished and painted the car. I've never even installed any speakers or wired it up! No way could you hear it with the "roadster" type headers and 3.5" side pipes with Sonic Turbo baffles anyhow. Most of the "Cruise Ins" hereabouts have a sound system blasting out good music anyhow, so about the only place it would be of any value is at a curb service drive in restaurant.
Have had my '40 coupe now for about 6 weeks, and it has a real nice hidden stereo system that operates off a remote similar to a TV remote and rear stereo speakers, etc. I haven't even attempted yet to turn it on and set the presets, etc for local stations, as I'm still enjoying the car's own tunes too much! Prolly at some time in the future I'll set it up and use it.

 

Both. Factory delete plate in dash with AM/FM in glove compartment. My Langdon headers sound good too.

 

LOL when I was a kid I had a 4 track tape deck that I got cheap and it was always under the seat. I think I had 3 tapes 4 tracks didn't stay around long, but they were good music.

 

Really depends on my mood.

 

In town motor and 4 speed, out of town Roy Orbison in cassette player.

 

I don't have any in my old cars & don't turn on the one in the wife's Buick. Silence is golden. Once in a while I will turn on the one in the shop. I'm damn near deaf anyway ,wear dual hearing aids, & like Beaner sez would be breaking some civil sound ordinances if I did turn one on.. People don't understand that I can sit on the back patio & just watch & listen to the wind blow. I don't live in Rock Springs Wyo tho. Heh Heh He

 

@BURN OUT BOB
I still like to get out in the country and cruise slow enough to just listen to the night. I don't hear as much of it as I did 40 years ago though. I probably should invest in hearing aids.

One of my favorite things used to be to run one up to 100 and then kill the motor and throw it into neutral or get up on top of a mountain and just coast down and listen to the wind the rattles and the creatures.

 

The motor is the music. I have a system all rigged up for my iPod and never listen to it. I like hearing the sounds of the motor...or maybe I'm just listening for any little change in the sound that would indicate an issue, kind of like the auditory version of having my eyes glued to the gauges. Probably doesn't make any difference though. Like Beaner and Burn Out Bob, I'm half deaf anyway.

Why not set it up for your tunes, that way you always have the option?

 

Hot rods no. Customs or cruisers OK.

 

The neighbors said I needed a new muffler, so I put 2 12s in the trunk, so they couldn't hear the exhaust anymore.

J/K I like it loud , of course I cant hear anymore either.
Godspeed
MrC.

 

Music isn't even an option in my car. Between the loud engine, the wind noise around every opening and the rattles from everywhere, I couldn't hear a damn thing anyway.

The interior is gutted right now for the roof chop, I hope to make it more air tight, sound proofed and with fewer rattles when it all goes back together.

 

If you have to think about it don't do it. I guess their is nothing on AM anymore.
Just about to leave for the Bay Area then on to Paso for the Airport rod run. I grew up in Oakland. We need to get together sometime.
Gary

 

Short trips no radio needed. Longer trips a radio is a must. 5 hours each way to Dubuque last week I would have been bat shit crazy after that much motor music.

 

I've got nice stereo's in every car I build, and usually hidden to boot. For me the choice is simple, I listened to music long before I could drive, so it wins out by seniority. That and the fact that I really like good music.

 

As nice as it is to hear the engine singing a song, I'd rather drive a car with no steering wheel than no stereo.

 

"as soon as they get in Mom’s modern ride, they expect something playing at full blast almost immediately.............Or maybe, like me, they actually enjoy the conversations and interactions that happen in the silence of the old car when we’re focused more on each other "

I think they'll have the same expectation in the Safari a month after you install tunes. I wouldn't do it, here's why......

I'm at the tail end of having my kids ride with me. My twins graduate from High School in a few weeks and are leaving for the summer to work at a camp in the Adirondacks, then on to college. I'm already missing them. Folks say the time you have with your kids goes by fast, it's the oldest cliché there is, but holy fuck is it true! WAY too fast!
My point is, enjoy every opportunity you have to be in the car interacting with your kids now, those moments are way to precious and fleeting. You'll have plenty of time to listen to music later, when your kids are doing their own thing.

 

As much as I love music I never installed a radio in any of my Deuces but then again they never had much to call a interior so they generally are kinda loud and noisy.

I did install a radio in the wagon but it seldom gets turned on. HRP

 

I am kind of a music snob, so I have XM radio in my cars...doesn't mean you have to have it on all the time. Never understood this motor sound thing at all, had fairly quiet mufflers on my hot rods, no radio at all.

 

@Jive-Bomber Jay -

Your '29 Model A Roadster ... listen to that Caddy engine!

Your ’57 Pontiac Safari Wagon ... needs one of these:

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